Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Clots

The menstrual cycle is a very important phenomenon in a woman's life. Changing rate of the blood flow and color change of the blood within the period of menstruation cycle is considered quite normal. But some women have to face heavy menstrual bleeding clots which can be caused due to many reasons. Heavy blood flow during menstruation is called menorrhagia in medical terms. This condition can be a sign of some serious illness or can just indicate hormonal changes in the body. The duration of a normal period is between 2 to 7 days, but in case of menorrhagia the period lasts for more than 7 days.

Heavy Menstruation Bleeding
During menstruation, the egg is released from the ovary. If this egg is fertilized by the sperm, it goes to the uterus through the fallopian tube and gets attached to the lining of the uterus. Hence to support the fertilized egg, the lining of the uterus thickens. If the egg is not fertilized, the lining of the uterus starts shedding which can be seen as blood. The normal menstruation cycle is of 28 days but it may vary in some women. Some women may have a cycle of 21 days and some may have a 35 days cycle. The period normally lasts for 2 to 7 days and the amount of blood lost is around 4 to 12 teaspoons. But some women experience heavy bleeding during periods which can be serious. Due to the heavy bleeding the body is not able to excrete the entire amount of blood which results in blood clots.

Causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Clots
There are many reasons behind prolonged menstrual bleeding which need to get diagnosed. Following are some of the possible reasons behind it.

• Uterine fibroids can be a major cause of severe blood flow during periods. These are non-cancerous tumors which form inside the uterus. They do not have any other symptoms but they restrict the flow of the blood which results in clots and heavy bleeding.
• Very heavy menstrual bleeding may be a sign of a miscarriage. If you are pregnant and are experiencing this condition then consult the doctor immediately. You will observe blood clots or gray clumps of tissue.
• Hormonal changes can also cause severe bleeding during periods. Progesterone and estrogen are two hormones which regulate the thickening and shedding of the uterus lining. Any problem with these hormones may result in excess bleeding clots.
• During pregnancy the uterus enlarges and usually comes back to its original size after the childbirth. But in some cases, the uterus size does not decrease completely which results in a large uterus. Hence the blood takes time to collect inside the uterus which results in blood clots during periods.
• Any type of obstruction in the blood flow may result in blood clots. The flow of the blood slows down at the time of menopause which may further result in collection of blood which clots.

Symptoms of Menorrhagia
Menorrhagia symptoms can be easily noticed. Following are some of them.

• Dark brown to black big blood clots.
• Heavy blood flow for more than 7 days.
• Severe menstrual cramps with fatigue.
• Pale complexion with some anemic symptoms.

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Clots Treatment
If you are facing the above given symptoms, then consult a doctor immediately. You may be prescribed with the following treatments.

• Doctors prescribe some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) which help in restoring normal bleeding and reduce the amount of blood loss.
• In case of hormonal imbalance, doctors advice oral progesterone drugs which maintain a balance and reduce excess bleeding.
• In case of tumors in the uterus, the uterus is removed surgically. In some cases if the woman is not planning to have any kids, the uterus is removed from her body.
• Dilation and curettage, endometrial resection, endometrial ablation, operative hysteroscopy and hysterectomy are some of the surgical operations which are also conducted to get the problem fixed.
• Some oral contraceptives are also given in order to maintain a proper menstruation cycle.

If you observing any such condition then consult the doctor immediately. Take care of yourself and if you are diagnosed with menorrhagia then have a healthy and rich diet to make up for the blood loss.